Dallas Sierra Club Calendar
Show: Show All Meetings Conservation Outings Classes Social Gatherings
Mar 2 (Sat) Day hike in Dallas' Great Trinity Forest
Hike about 4 miles in southeast Dallas' Great Trinity Forest. We will hike the Piedmont Ridge Trail from its trailhead by Gateway Park, continue south to Devon Anderson Park on Eastcliff, and then back north to the Piedmont Ridge Trail trailhead. This is an easy-moderate hike on natural surface trails. Afterward is an optional short hike to the Scyene Overlook. If it rained recently, the trail could be muddy. Beware of poison ivy! Bring water and a snack. No dogs allowed. Just show up. No sign-up needed. Trip rated: Easy. Contact: Kirk Miller Send Email 512-992-8181
Meet at Gateway Park, at the south end of the gravel parking lot by the soccer fields on the west side of Jim Miller Road. Our hike will start promptly at 9:00 a.m., so don't be late and get left behind. The hike will last about 2 hours, possibly longer, with an additional 30 minutes for the optional jaunt up to Scyene Overlook. Click here for a map of our route.
Mar 16-17 (Sat-Sun) Beginner Backpack Trip In Palo Pinto Mountains State Park
Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is about 70 miles west of Fort Worth in a hilly Cross Timbers area known as the Palo Pinto Mountains. The 4,000 acre park was acquired by Texas Parks and Wildlife in 2011 and it is expected to become one of the most popular parks in Texas. But the Texas Legislature has never funded development and the park is not yet open to the public. This has left the former ranch land about as close to wilderness as you’ll find 2 hours from Dallas! The Dallas Sierra Club has special permission for a beginner backpack trip in this park-to-be. It’s likely we’ll be the only people in the park.
This trip is full. Check back in the fall to see if we can arrange another trip to Palo Pinto State Park!
Several places on this trip will be reserved for those who attend our spring Beginner Backpack Class.
Trip rated: Easy. Leader: Bill Greer Send Email 972-247-0446
Details are still being worked out but you should expect a mile or two walk to a dry camp (carry all the water you’ll need) followed by a dayhike returning to our camp. Sunday morning we’ll indulge in another dayhike before adjourning to a local restaurant for lunch. You’ll get to explore a unique area and check out all that new gear. The short hike to camp and modest climb will make carrying some extra water not too tough. There are no facilities of any kind at the park-to-be so you’ll need to arrive with everything you need for the trip. Palo Pinto is close enough that we can leave Saturday morning and be home by late afternoon Sunday.
You can find a Fort Worth Magazine article about the park at this link: http://www.fwtx.com/articles/fwtxmag/features/early-look-soon-be-newest-state-park-texas
Mar 20 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
There will not be an Outings Committee meeting this month. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, April 17, at Whole Foods. Organizer: Bill Greer Send Email 972-247-0446
Apr 13-14 (Sat-Sun) Beginner Backpack Trip to the Caney Creek Wilderness
Join us for one of the Dallas Sierra Club’s favorite Arkansas backpacking trips. We’ll backpack about 4 1/2 miles along Caney Creek in Caney Creek Wilderness, cross the creek a few times, and climb some small hills. We'll set up camp near a waterfall then do a short optional day hike as time and energy permit. For many of us this was our first Wilderness hike and it's still one of our favorites. Trip rated: Easy. Leader: Bill Greer Send Email 972-247-0446
We
'll spend Friday night at a Forest Service campground near our cars and meet up Saturday morning for a short drive to the trailhead. We'll backpack to our campsite near some nice falls on Katy Creek. Sunday we will hike back out to our cars over the same route. It always looks different going the other way. We'll stop for a late lunch in DeQueen, Arkansas, on the way back home. You'll hike enough miles to check out your gear and readiness for future trips, but not TOO many miles.
Apr 17 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
The Outings Committee meets on most third Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. to plan outings and events. Anyone interested in outings is welcome to attend and participate. Come upstairs at Whole Foods Market, SE quadrant of Preston Road and Forest Lane, Dallas. Reply to Bill to be added to the advance agenda email list or to suggest an agenda item. Organizer: Bill Greer Send Email 972-247-0446
Apr 26-28 (Fri-Sun) Colorado Bend State Park Group Campout
Tent campers of all ages and abilities will enjoy this weekend adventure at one of Texas' most scenic state parks. The park is a four-hour drive through the hill country from Dallas to near Bend, Texas, west of Lampassas. We've reserved the large group campsite by the Colorado River for tent camping on Friday and Saturday nights. Pack your tent, camp chair, hiking shoes, bike, kayak, guitar, telescope or croquet set--this park is great for adventure or just relaxing. Everyone will have plenty of time to explore the unique park highlights, including Gorman Falls (pictured at right plunging 65 feet over fern-covered travertine). Spicewood Springs is another attraction, suitable for April soaking in clear water. Details, cost and reservation forms (required) are in this PDF. Sorry, no RVs or pets. Coordinator: Liz Wheelan Send Email 214-368-2306
May 7 (Tue) Wilderness Navigation Class - Part 1
Want to plan a hike or bushwhack off-trail but you're uneasy about finding your way? Don't risk your safety on a GPS and batteries - join us for this highly respected two-night, hands on class and learn how or refresh your skills to read and use a topographic map and compass to plan, orient, and navigate your journey through our special places. Part 1 is Tue., part 2 is Wed., both at 6:30 p.m., upstairs at Whole Foods Market, SE quadrant of Preston Road and Forest Lane. Cost for the two-night class is $35 for Sierra Club members, $40 for non-members (best class price around). An optional nearby hike for class participants will be offered the following Sat or Sun. morning with instructors to help you practice what you learned. Pre-registration greatly appreciated by clicking here or just show up and pay at the door. Bring a compass if you have one. If not, we'll have an extra you can use and we'll advise what to look for when you buy your own. Sessions will run until 8:45pm. Coordinator: Liz Wheelan Send Email 214-368-2306
May 8 (Wed) Wilderness Navigation Class - Part 2
Second night of our two-part class that begins Tue., May 7. Both sessions are at Whole Foods Market, Preston Road at Forest Lane. See above for details and link to pay online. Coordinator: Liz Wheelan Send Email 214-368-2306
May 15 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
There will not be an Outings Committee meeting this month. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, June 19, at Whole Foods. Organizer: Bill Greer Send Email 972-247-0446
May 19-22 (Sun-Wed) Exploratory backpack trip in White Mountains Wilderness, New Mexico
For many years our Memorial Day bus trip alternated between White Mountains Wilderness, near Ruidoso, and Bandelier National Monument, near
Los Alamos. Then wildfire devastated both, and it’s been years since we’ve been back. But fire is a natural part of forest ecosystems and they do recover.
It’s time to go back and see what the new White Mountains are like! We’ll meet in Ruidoso Sunday morning, check out trailheads, and spend two nights in the back country to see how trails have recovered. We may check out some other BLM and historic sites in the area too. It’s a scouting trip so expect plans to be fluid! More details will be added as our research continues. Trip rated: Moderately Strenuous. Leader: Bill Greer Send Email 972-247-0446
Jun 2 (Sun) Basic First Aid and CPR class
The Dallas Sierra Club has arranged a Basic First Aid/CPR class on this date from 1:30 until approximately 5:00, with emphasis on first aid situations experienced in hiking and camping situations. The class is recommended for outings leaders who need to gain or maintain first aid or CPR certification. This class is not required for leaders who have completed a Wilderness First Aid class within two years. The class fee is $70. The Dallas Sierra Club will reimburse the entire fee for its leaders upon leading a hike or other outing within six months. Call for location information. Contact: Mark Stein Send Email 214-526-3733
Jul 22-26 (Mon-Fri) Backpacking in Colorado
Save this week for the Colorado July backpacking adventure! This has become a popular annual event for Dallas Sierra Club backpackers with multi-day experience, preferably at altitude above 10,000 feet, but not necessarily with the Sierra Club. We're still working to select this year's trails set, carefully looking at the Uncompahgre and La Garita Wilderness Areas between Lake City and Gunnison. Transportation for this outing is by personal cars or carpools. We charge no fee for this one, but participants pay their own trip expenses. Although the outing begins and ends at the trailheads, allow two days on the adjoining weekends for travel. Some participants will plan trip extension before or after the hike. We're not ready to accept reservations for this outing, just serving early notice of the dates. More information will be published here when available. Trip rated: Moderately Strenuous. Coordinator: Mark Stein Send Email 214-789-4596
Aug 29-Sep 3 (Thu-Tue) Pecos Wilderness, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico
Save the dates! We're still working on details but this Labor Day weekend, we're traveling by bus to backpack in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Pecos Wilderness Area.
Details and directions on how to sign up will follow soon.
Coordinator: Liz Wheelan Send Email 214-368-2306
